Number Of Long-term Hematopoietic Stem Cells Research Articles

Irf8 Regulates Cytokine Signaling and Proliferation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Irf8 is a member of the Interferon Regulatory Factor family, playing diverse functions in the development of innate and adaptive immune cells and in defenses against intracellular pathogens. We found, for the first time, that the loss of Irf8 results in a severe decrease in number and the reconstitution capacity of long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs). The fact that Irf8deficient hematopoietic microenvironment did not affect the reconstitution ability of HSCs indicates that Irf8 regulates HSCs in a cell autonomous manner. The effect of Irf8 depletion on HSC's number and the reconstitution capacity is unlikely due to the influence of a myeloproliferative syndrome, as the disease is not transplantable. In addition, the number of LT-HSCs is also decreased in E14.5 fetal liver of Irf8deficient mice, when the myeloproliferative disorder has not been developed. A cell cycle analysis show that the number of cycling LT-HSCs is greatly reduced in Irf8deficient mice. In addition, LT-HSCs in Irf8deficient mice failed to enter cell cycle in response to the interferon treatment. Genome-wide transcription profiling and activity of cis-regulatory element analysis of LT-HSCs reveal that the expression of key regulators of cytokine/growth factor signaling and factors controlling HSC self-renewal are dysregulated in Irf8deficient mice. These results indicate that Irf8 plays a critical role in regulating cytokine signaling and cell cycle of HSCs and that Irf8 plays an orchestrated role in enhancing innate and adaptive immunity starting from the top of hematopoietic hierarchy. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Deficiency of Antioxidative Paraoxonase 2 (Pon2) Leads to Increased Number of Phenotypic LT-HSCs and Disturbed Erythropoiesis.

Background Long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) reside in bone marrow niches with tightly controlled reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. ROS increase results into LT-HSC differentiation and stem cell exhaustion. Paraoxonase 2 (PON2) has been shown to be important for ROS control. Objectives We investigate the effects of inactivation of the PON2 gene on hematopoietic cell differentiation and activity. Methods and Results In young mice with inactivated Pon2 gene (Pon2−/−, <3 months), we observed an increase of LT-HSCs and a reduced frequency of progenitor cells. In competitive transplantations, young Pon2−/− BM outcompeted WT BM at early time points. ROS levels were significantly increased in Pon2−/− whole BM, but not in Pon2−/− LT-HSCs. In more differentiated stages of hematopoiesis, Pon2 deficiency led to a misbalanced erythropoiesis both in physiologic and stress conditions. In older mice (>9 months), Pon2 depletion caused an increase in LT-HSCs as well as increased levels of granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (GMPs) and myeloid skewing, indicating a premature aging phenotype. No significant changes in ROS levels in old Pon2−/− LT- and short-term (ST-) HSCs were observed, but a significant reduction of spontaneous apoptotic cell death was measured. RNA-seq analysis in Pon2−/− LT-HSCs identified overrepresentation of genes involved in the C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (Cxcr4) signaling, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to overcome ROS-mediated accelerated aging in hematopoietic progenitor cells. Conclusions In summary, our current data indicate that PON2 is involved in the regulation of HSC functions.

Higher Vertebrate Specific Gene Ribonuclease Inhibitor (RNH1) Is Essential for Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function and Cell Cycle Regulation

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in higher vertebrate species, especially in mammals, maintain hematopoiesis throughout adult life and require critical cell cycle regulation for their self-renewal and cell fate decisions. Although cell cycle pathways are quite conserved across animal species, it is unknown whether a higher vertebrate specific cell cycle regulation exists in adult mammalian HSCs. Recently, we have published that Ribonuclease inhibitor (RNH1) regulates erythropoiesis by controlling GATA1 mRNA translation. Here, we report that RNH1, which is present only in higher vertebrates regulates HSC cell cycle and HSC function. To study the role of RNH1 in hematopoiesis, we generated hematopoietic-specific knockout mice by backcrossing Rnh1FL/FL mice with Vav1-iCre and Mx1-Cre mice, respectively. Rnh1-deficiency (Rnh1FL/FLVav1-iCre mice) resulted in hematopoietic alterations resembling emergency myelopoiesis. At 15 weeks of age Rnh1-deficient mice had reduced hemoglobin levels (144.4 ± 2.6 vs 165.0 ± 4.2 g/L, p = 0.005), decreased lymphocytes (4.1 ± 0.8 vs 9.6 ± 1.6 K/µL, p = 0.023), increased neutrophils (3.2 ± 0.6 vs 1.5 ± 0.2 K/µL, p = 0.046) and monocytes (0.65 ± 0.05 vs 0.09 ± 0.02 K/µL, p = 0.0001) in the peripheral blood. Total bone-marrow (BM) cellularity was similar in wild type andRnh1-deficient mice, however the number of erythroid cells and lymphoid cells (T and B cells) was significantly decreased, whereas myeloid cells were significantly increased. Rnh1-deficient spleens were significantly larger than wild type controls and showed extramedullary hematopoiesis. Surprisingly, although Rnh1-deficient mice showed myeloproliferation they survived normally and did not show progression to leukemia. However, they did not tolerate even little stress, such as 35 µg LPS administration, which lead to early mortality. We analysed the progenitor populations in the BM. In line with the myelopoiesis dominant phenotype granulocyte-monocyte progenitor (GMP) cell numbers were increased but common lymphoid progenitor (CLP) and megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitor (MEP) cell numbers were decreased. Cell extrinsic factors such as growth factors and the bone marrow niche play a critical role in shaping lineage choice. To exclude this, we performed bone marrow transplantation experiments (BMT) by transplanting wild type (Rnh1FL/FL) and Rnh1-deficient (Rnh1FL/FLMx1-Cre+) bone marrow into lethally irradiated CD45.1 congenic mice. After reconstitution Rnh1 was deleted by administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C). We observed a similar myelopoiesis dominant phenotype in Rnh1-deleted mice. Interestingly, we found increased numbers of long term HSCs (LT-HSCs) and short term HSCs (ST-HSCs) in Rnh1-deficient mouse BM, suggesting that RNH1 could affect HSC function. Supporting this Rnh1-deficient HSCs failed to engraft lethally irradiated mice in competitive BMT experiments. Furthermore, Rnh1-deficient HSCs produced significantly less and smaller colonies in in-vitro colony forming cell (CFC) assays. Transcriptome analysis showed increased expression of genes related to cell cycle, kinetochore, DNA damage and decreased expression of genes related to stem cell function in Rnh1-deficient LT-HSCs and ST-HSCs. Corroborating this, Rnh1-deficient LT-HSCs and ST-HSCs showed increased S/G2/M phase in cell cycle analysis. In line with this, at the molecular level, we found that RNH1 directly binds to cell-cycle related proteins such as cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), cell-division cycle protein 20 (CDC20) and mitotic checkpoint protein BUB3, suggesting direct involvement of RNH1 in cell cycle regulation. Confirming this, pharmacological inhibition of CDK1 (RO-3306, 10 µM) in Rnh1-deficinet ST-HSCs restored colony size in CFC assays, suggesting that RNH1 and CDK1 inhibition have a synergistic effect in ST-HSCs. In summary, our results demonstrate that RNH1, which is present only in higher vertebrates, is essential for HSC cell cycle regulation and steady state hematopoiesis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Synthesis and evaluation of pyrimidoindole analogs in umbilical cord blood ex vivo expansion

The scarcity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) significantly hindered their clinical potentials. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has become the leading source of HSCs for both research and clinical applications. But the low content of HSCs in a single UCB unit limited its use only to pediatric patients. Various cytokines and small molecules have demonstrated strong abilities in promoting HSC ex vivo expansion, of which UM171 is the newest and by far the most potent HSC ex vivo expansion agent. In this study, we synthesized 37 pyrimidoindole analogs and identified 6 compounds to be potent in promoting HSC ex vivo expansion. In particular, analog 11 was found to be the most effective in stimulating ex vivo expansion of UCB CD34+ cells and CD34+CD38− cells. Initial data indicated that compound 11 promoted the absolute number of long term HSCs and inhibited their differentiation. UCB HSCs expanded with 11 retained adequate multi-lineage differentiation capacity. In addition, compound 11 is not cytotoxic at its test concentrations, suggesting that it merits further investigation for potential clinical applications.

NRF2 Activation Impairs Quiescence and Bone Marrow Reconstitution Capacity of Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Tissue stem cells are maintained in quiescence under physiological conditions but proliferate and differentiate to replenish mature cells under stressed conditions. The KEAP1-NRF2 system plays an essential role in stress response and cytoprotection against redox disturbance. To clarify the role of the KEAP1-NRF2 system in tissue stem cells, we focused on hematopoiesis in this study and used Keap1-deficient mice to examine the effects of persistent activation of NRF2 on long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs). We found that persistent activation of NRF2 due to Keap1 deficiency did not change the number of LT-HSCs but reduced their quiescence in steady-state hematopoiesis. During hematopoietic regeneration after bone marrow (BM) transplantation, persistent activation of NRF2 reduced the BM reconstitution capacity of LT-HSCs, suggesting that NRF2 reduces the quiescence of LT-HSCs and promotes their differentiation, leading to eventual exhaustion. Transient activation of NRF2 by an electrophilic reagent also promotes the entry of LT-HSCs into the cell cycle. Taken together, our findings show that NRF2 drives the cell cycle entry and differentiation of LT-HSCs at the expense of their quiescence and maintenance, an effect that appears to be beneficial for prompt recovery from blood loss. We propose that the appropriate control of NRF2 activity by KEAP1 is essential for maintaining HSCs and guarantees their stress-induced regenerative response.

Inhibition of CML Development Following Conditional SIRT1 Deletion in Transgenic BCR-ABL Mice

▪Despite the success of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in treatment of CML, cures remain elusive, as primitive leukemia stem cells (LSC) are retained in patients achieving remission. Previous studies from our group have suggested that Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) inhibition may represent a novel approach for elimination of LSCs in chronic phase CML. SIRT1 was shown to be overexpressed in CML LSCs, and SIRT1 inhibition using shRNA or a small molecule SIRT1 inhibitor selectively eliminated CML LSCs by increasing p53 acetylation and activity (Li et.al; Cancer Cell 2012). These studies were limited by possible off-target effects and limited duration of in vivo exposure. Here we used a genetic mouse model to definitively delineate the role of SIRT1 in CML development. A model for conditional SIRT1 deletion in hematopoietic stem cells was established by crossing homozygous SIRT1 exon-4 floxed (SIRT1fl/fl) mice with Mx1-Cre mice. To study the requirement of SIRT1 for development of CML, Mx1-cre SIRT1fl/fl mice were crossed with SCL-tTA/BCR-ABL mice, representing a tet-regulated inducible transgenic mouse model of CML, to generate SCL-tTA/BCR-ABL Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl mice (BA Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl). BA SIRT1fl/fl mice lacking Mx1-Cre were used as controls. The mice were maintained on doxycycline until CML induction. Cre mediated deletion of SIRT1 was induced by intraperitoneal pIpC injections (250µg/mouse) administered every other day for a total of 7 doses. SIRT1 knockdown was confirmed by PCR for excised exon-4 and by RT-Q-PCR. Bone marrow (BM) cells from either BA Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl or controls (both CD45.2) were transplanted into irradiated (800 cGy) CD45.1 congenic recipients (2X106 cells/mouse). Cre-mediated deletion of SIRT1 was induced by pIpC injection starting at 4 weeks post-transplant, followed by withdrawal of tetracycline to induce BCR-ABL expression. Serial PB counts and phenotypic evaluation of cell types by flow cytometry (Fig 1 A-B) showed SIRT1 knockdown to have a profound effect on CML development. By 8 weeks after BCR-ABL induction, BA SIRT1fl/fl mice (n=10), showed significantly lower neutrophils (p=0.0003) and Gr-1/Mac-1 positive myeloid cells (p=0.0002) compared to control mice. Subsequently, control mice developed progressive neutrophilic leukocytosis and increasing morbidity from leukemia, whereas BA SIRT1fl/fl mice demonstrated significantly lower WBC counts, without evidence of progressive increase or morbidity (Fig 1 A). This cohort of mice continues to be followed for survival. Another cohort of BA Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl mice was sacrificed at 8 weeks post pIpC injection and BCR-ABL induction to evaluate the effect of SIRT1 knockdown on stem and progenitor populations (n=6 each). SIRT1 deleted mice demonstrated significant reduction in spleen size, weight, cellularity, and myeloid infiltration (Fig 2 A-B), and in myeloid cell expansion in the BM compared to controls (p=0.002). Primitive lineage negative, Sca1 positive, c-Kit negative (LSK) cells and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP) were significantly reduced in BM and spleen of BA SIRT1 deletedmice compared to control mice, whereas megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitors (MEP) were increased (Fig 3 A-B). Long term hematopoietic stem cells (LTHSC) in the BM are reduced following CML development. The percentage and number of LTHSC were significantly increased in SIRT1 deletedmice compared to control mice (Fig 3C-D). We also evaluated the effect of SIRT1 deletion on normal hematopoiesis by studying Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl mice lacking BCR-ABL. SIRT1fl/fl mice without Mx1-Cre were studied as controls. Mx1-Cre SIRT1fl/fl and control mice were treated with pIpC to induce SIRT1 deletion. SIRT1deletedmice did not show significant alteration in blood counts, but demonstrated significantly higher LSK and LTHSC numbers in BM compared to control mice. Upon secondary transfer, recipients of BM from SIRT1deleted mice showed a modest increase in donor cell engraftment at 12 weeks compared to controls (90.8% (83.2-92.2%) vs 83.6% (75.8-86.7%); p=0.001). We conclude that genetic deletion of SIRT1 markedly inhibits all aspects of CML development in transgenic BCR-ABL mice, without impairing normal hematopoiesis. These observations demonstrate a critical role for SIRT1 in leukemia development, and support further evaluation of SIRT1 as a therapeutic target in CML. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Angiogenin Is a Niche-Secreted RNase Which Regulates Hematopoietic Regeneration

Background. Identification of novel niche factors is critical for understanding of regulatory mechanisms which control HSPC cell fate decisions and design of novel pro-regenerative therapies. We have developed a proximity-based differential single cell analysis approach to the study of the bone marrow niche, which showed that individual osteolineage cells located in close proximity to transplanted HSPC are enriched for expression of niche factors, and have previously reported identification of IL18 and Embigin as regulators of HSPC quiescence. Here we describe the results of in vivo validation of Angiogenin (ANG) - the third molecule highlighted using the above strategy - as a potent regulator of HSPC quiescence and regeneration.Results. ANG is a secreted RNase which is known to promote angiogenesis, proliferation of cancer cells and also enhance cell survival in response to stress. Analysis of primitive cells subsets in the ANG knock-out mice (AngKO mice) revealed a 1.4-fold increase in the frequency and absolute number of long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs). Subsequent BrdU incorporation and cell cycle studies demonstrated increased proliferative activity in the primitive HSPC compartment indicating that ANG regulates HSPC quiescence. To confirm these findings functionally and to assess the effect of ANG on self-renewal, we exposed AngKO animals to weekly 5-FU injections and performed serial transplantation experiments of WT LT-HSCs into AngKO hosts. We noted significantly increased mortality of AngKO mice in both experimental settings; in a competitive transplant assay, we observed almost complete absence of engraftment by WT cells in the secondary hosts, in keeping with the exhaustion phenotype. Consistently, exposure of AngKO animals to a different type of hematopoietic stress, such as ageing, resulted in development of peripheral blood cytopenias and marked reduction in the number and frequency of HSPC.ANG is expressed in multiple non-hematopoietic cell types in the bone marrow, including osteoprogenitors, mature osteoblasts and nestin-positive mesenchymal stem cells and NG2-positive arteriolar sheath cells. To establish the predominant cellular source of ANG in the niche, we crossed Ang "floxed" mice with the animals in which tamoxifen-inducible Cre-recombinase was driven by the promoters targeting these cell subsets and examined the effect on hematopoiesis. We found that deletion of ANGfrom Osx+, Nes+ and NG2+ cells resulted in an increase of the number of LT-HSC and more active cycling of LT-HSC, short-term HSC (ST-HSC) and multi-potent progenitors (MPP) while ANGdeletion in mature osteoblasts had no effect on these cell populations, but was associated with an increase in number and more active cycling of common lymphoid progenitors (CLP), as was also seen upon ANGdeletion from Nes+ and NG2+ cells. These results indicate that the target cell population which is regulated by ANG depends on the cellular source. Interestingly, transplantation of WT bone marrow into the animals with Osx-specific ANG deletion resulted in development of macrocytic anemia and neutropenia at 6 months, thus indicating that Angiogenin deficiency in the niche is sufficient for the development of the hematopoietic failure. Impaired long-term reconstitution was also observed when ANG was deleted from Nestin+ mesenchymal stem cells but not col1+ mature osteoblasts in the recipient mice.Our findings that the absence of ANG negatively impacts HSPC self-renewal prompted us to investigate whether exposure of HSPC to recombinant ANG protein will have the opposite effect and enhance hematopoietic regeneration. We therefore treated mouse LT-HSCs with recombinant ANG or vehicle control ex-vivo for 2 hours and competitively transplanted them into lethally irradiated WT recipients. We found that ANG-treated LT-HSCs displayed a significantly higher long-term reconstituting ability, which persisted into the secondary transplants. Similar data were obtained following treatment of CD34+ cord blood cells with human ANG.Conclusion. Our work defines ANG as a previously unrecognized regulator of HSPC quiescence and self-renewal and suggests that it can be explored as a potential therapeutic agent to promote hematopoietic regeneration. DisclosuresScadden:Teva: Consultancy; Apotex: Consultancy; Bone Therapeutics: Consultancy; GlaxoSmithKline: Research Funding; Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties; Fate Therapeutics: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties; Dr. Reddy’s: Consultancy.

Interferon-Gamma Impairs Expansion and Hematopoietic Support of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and regulation of their quiescence and self-renewal is critical for maintaining a lifelong supply of blood cells. The ability of HSCs to stay quiescent is thought to depend on their specific niche in the bone marrow (BM). Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in the BM are multipotent stem cells that form part of the vascular HSC niche and provide micro-environmental support to HSCs both in vivo and upon expansion ex vivo. Culture-expanded MSCs also exhibit immunomodulatory properties that can be enhanced by pre-treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). BM MSC are thus attractive candidates for cellular therapy after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, for promoting rapid hematopoietic recovery and reducing the incidence or severity of graft versus host disease. Although IFN-γ pre-treatment can improve the immunomodulatory properties of MSCs, elevated IFN-γ levels have also been associated with anemia and BM failure in multiple chronic inflammatory diseases. While the impact of IFN-γ on HSC has been elucidated in recent years, it remains largely unknown whether IFN-γ can also influence hematopoietic support by BM stromal cells.In this study, we aim to elucidate the impact of IFN-γ on hematopoietic support of BM MSC.We show that in vitro expansion of primary BM MSC cultures from healthy donors was significantly reduced in the presence of IFN-γ, and this effect could be reproduced in the BM stromal cell line MS-5. Concurrently, IFN-γ diminished the clonal capacity of BM MSC, as measured by CFU-F assays. In addition, BM MSC that were pre-stimulated with IFN-γ produced significantly lower levels of CXCL12, suggesting a loss of hematopoietic support potential. Indeed, support of CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) in a co-culture assay was greatly reduced in when MSC were pre-treated with IFN-γ.To determine the impact of IFN-γ on BM MSC in vivo, we investigated the BM stromal compartment of IFN-γ AU-rich element deleted (ARE-Del) mice, which constitutively express IFN-γ in steady state conditions. FACS analysis revealed a remodeling of the BM stromal compartment in ARE-Del mice compared to littermate controls, with significantly fewer MSCs, identified as CD45-Ter119-CD31-CD51+PDGFRa+ cells. Numbers of other stromal cell subsets, such as osteoblasts and fibroblasts, were not altered.The reduction of BM MSC in ARE-Del mice coincided with a loss of quiescence in HSCs; only 35% of long term HSC (LT-HSC) in ARE-Del mice were quiescent, compared to 70% in WT mice, as determined by Ki-67 staining. Loss of quiescence in LT-HSC did not lead to increased self-renewal, but rather induced increased differentiation towards short-term HSC and multi-potent progenitors.We then sorted LT-HSC from WT and ARE-Del mice and performed in vitro HSC culture assays in the absence of IFN-γ. Absolute numbers of LT-HSC were rapidly decreased in ARE-Del compared to WT cultures after 3 and 7 days of HSC culture, while numbers of more differentiated progenitors were increased. These data indicate that an IFN-γ-mediated loss of BM MSC in ARE-Del mice leads to loss of quiescent LT-HSCs and induces a tendency towards HSC differentiation over self-renewal.In conclusion, we have shown that IFN-γ has a negative impact on expansion and hematopoietic support of BM MSC in vitro and in vivo across species. Although IFN-γ treatment enhances the immunomodulatory function of MSCs in a clinical setting, it is obvious from our data that IFN-γ impairs their HSC supporting function. These data also provide more insight in the underlying mechanism by which IFN-γ contributes to the pathogenesis of anemia and BM failure. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hepatoma-Derived Growth Factor Is a Novel Factor to Promote the Proliferation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Ex vivo expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is an attractive therapeutic strategy for many hematologic diseases and genetic disorders. Therefore, a variety of ex vivo expansion techniques have been developed, however these systems were not well done to get long term HSCs (LT-HSCs) which have a long term hematopoietic reconstitution ability. As the reasons, it is considered that the factors associating with the proliferation and self-renewal of LT-HSCs have not been clear yet.To obtain the factors to stimulate the proliferation and self-renewal of LT-HSCs, various conditioned media were evaluated. The supernatants of COS-1 cells transfected with cDNA cording for RelA (one of nuclear factor kappa B subunits) stimulated the proliferation of human CD34+ cells derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) and increased the number of CFU-Mix strongest of all evaluated conditioned media. 60 liters of the supernatants of COS-1 cells transfected RelA genes were separated by column chromatography purifications. LC-MS/MS analysis of the final active fraction provided the information of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) as a growth factor. HDGF is a 24kD heparin-binding protein and has reported to stimulate the proliferation in various types of cells including fibroblasts, endothelial cells and hepatoma cells, its receptor(s) and signaling remain unclear, moreover, has no known function in hematopoiesis.The recombinant human HDGF indicated the ability to enhance the proliferation of CD34+ cells dose-dependently and increased the number of CFU-Mix in combination with cytokines compared to cytokines alone, especially HDGF showed the strongest synergy effect in a combination with TPO in all combinations of cytokines. Next, uncultured (UC) CD34+ cells, the cells of an equal initial number of CD34+ cells after the serum-free condition cultures in the presence of TPO alone (T), HDGF alone (H) and HDGF+TPO (HT) were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOG (NOD/Shi-scid,IL-2RγKO) mice. HT increased the number of CD34+CD38- cells compared to UC, T and H. Analysis of CD34+CD38- cells in bone marrow cells of NOG mice 24 weeks after transplantation revealed that the mean of absolute number of CD34+CD38- cells in HT group showed about 4-fold, that in H group showed about 3-fold compared to that in UC group, however, that in T group were not detected.These results indicated that HT increased HSCs including short term and long term HSCs. In order to investigate whether HDGF could increase the number of LT-HSCs, serial transplantation experiment was carried out. Uncultured CD34+ cells and the CD34+ cells cultured with HT were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOG mice. At 24 weeks after transplantation, the mean of absolute number of CD34+CD38- cells in HT group showed 6-fold compared to that in UC group, a half of total number of bone marrow cells from each mouse in both groups were transplanted into one secondary sublethally irradiated NOG mouse. Analysis of human hematopoietic cells in both group 20 weeks after transplantation revealed that multi-lineage human hematopoietic cells, such as CD3+ cells, CD19+ cells, CD33+ cells, CD235a+ cells, erythrocytes and platelets, were detected in all mice in HT group, but were not detected in all mice in UC group. The mean of absolute number of CD34+CD38- cells in bone marrow of HT group showed 30-fold compared to that of UC group. These results indicated that HDGF could increase the number of LT-HSCs.We showed here that the CD34+ cells cultured with HDGF can be transplanted to secondary hosts to give rise to long-term multilineage repopulation. Thus, HDGF is a novel factor to promote the proliferation of HSCs and plays an important role in hematopoiesis. HDGF will contribute the new HSCs expansion system development by using UCB for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

S6K1 Regulates Self-Renewal of Leukemia Initiating Cells and Normal Hematopoietic Stem Cells

The mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene is required for the maintenance of adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and regulation of progenitor population. Translocations in MLL have been detected in approximately 5-10% of adult acute leukemia patients and in approximately 70% of acute leukemias in infants. Various genes, including AF4, AF5, AF9, ELL and ENL have been identified as partners for translocation in MLL-rearranged leukemia. In hematopoietic cells, expression of MLL fusion proteins result in a block of differentiation. AML patients who successfully undergo treatment but relapse suggest the importance of targeting leukemia initiating cells (LICs) within the MLL leukemia. LICs remain in a quiescent state and are capable of survival despite treatment with chemotherapeutic agents or targeted molecular inhibitors. In mouse models, LICs are defined by the capability of successfully propagating disease upon serial transplantation. In order to prevent disease relapse, identification of molecules, which regulate the self-renewal of LICs, is essential.The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mechanistic target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1) pathway is a key regulator of self-renewal of both HSCs and LICs. Deletion of Raptor, a subunit of mTORC1, does not affect initiation and progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but Raptor deficiency results in delayed propagation of AML. Upon its activation, mTORC1 phosphorylates and activates p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K1) and inhibits the activity of eukaryote translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). S6K1 has been shown to be hyperactivated in hematopoietic cells expressing oncogenic MLL-AF9 fusion protein.In our study, we have assessed the role of S6K1 in the initiation, progression and propagation of AML using a genetic model of S6K1 knockout mice (S6K1-/-). We expressed MLL-AF9 fusion oncoprotein in WT and S6K1-/- hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSC/Ps) and transplanted them into lethally irradiated recipients. Recipients of both WT and S6K1-/- HSC/Ps bearing MLL-AF9 displayed high white blood cell (WBC) count, splenomegaly and developed AML. There was no difference in survival between the WT and S6K1-/- recipients. In order to determine whether S6K1 regulates the self-renewal of LICs, we transplanted lethally irradiated mice with cells from WT and S6K1-/- primary recipients who developed AML. Recipients of S6K1 deficient AML cells survived significantly longer compared to controls (n=17/group, p<0.001). S6K1 deficient HSC/Ps expressing MLL-AF9 showed reduced activation of Akt as well as decreased mTORC1 activity, suggesting that deletion of S6K1 results in reduced activation of PI-3K-Akt-mTORC1 pathway both upstream and downstream of mTORC1 which indicates that S6K1 might be involve in a feedback loop within this pathway.To determine the role of S6K1 in normal HSC development and maintenance, we analyzed bone marrow derived HSCs in WT and S6K1-/- mice. S6K1 deficiency did not alter the frequency of long term HSCs (LT-HSCs) as defined by CD150+ CD48- Lin- Sca1+ c-Kit+ surface markers, but the absolute number of LT-HSCs were significantly reduced in S6K1 deficient mice (p<0.02). The absolute number of multipotent progenitors (MPPs) (p<0.001), common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) (p<0.01) and megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors (MEPs) (p<0.01) were also significantly reduced in S6K1 deficient mice. Deficiency of S6K1 resulted in reduced quiescence of LT-HSCs (p<0.05). Expression level of p21, an inhibitor of cell cycle progression, was significantly decreased in LT-HSCs derived from S6K1-/- mice compared to LT-HSCs from control group. To study the role of S6K1 in HSCs' function, we performed competitive repopulation assay. Sorted LT-HSCs from bone marrow cells derived from either WT or S6K1-/- mice were transplanted with competitor cells into lethally irradiated recipients. S6K1 deficient LT-HSCs displayed reduced repopulating ability in secondary recipients (n=9-10/group, p<0.001). Expression level of p21 was downregulated in donor-derived HSCs isolated from secondary recipients of S6K1 deficient HSCs compared to control. Overall, our study establishes S6K1 as a critical regulator of self-renewal of both LICs and HSCs. Deficiency of S6K1 in AML cells results in delayed propagation of disease and deficiency of S6K1 in HSCs results in decreased self-renewal potential. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Bone Marrow Osteoblast Ablation Enhances Short-Term Hematopoietic Stem Cells Without Altering Long-Term Hematopoietic Stem Cell Populations and Accelerates Leukemia Development

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) within the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment reside in close proximity to endosteal osteoblasts (OBs). Although OBs have been considered to provide a HSC niche, other studies suggest that perivascular mesenchymal cells or endothelial cells may be the primary HSC niches, and the specific role of OBs in regulation of HSCs requires further clarification. Moreover, the role of OBs in regulating leukemic stem cells (LSC) is even less well studied. To address these questions, we used a conditional OB ablation mouse model (Col2.3Δtk) in which a truncated version of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Δtk) is expressed under an OB-specific promoter. In these mice, daily intraperitoneal (IP) administration of ganciclovir (GCV) leads to production of a toxic DNA base analogue in OBs, resulting in their death. We crossed Col2.3Δtk mice with Col2.3GFP mice that specifically express GFP in OBs to facilitate assessment of OB ablation. We confirmed that 4 weeks of GCV administration resulted in ablation of endosteal OBs in this model using both immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. OB ablation was associated with reduced BM cellularity (Δtk+ 3.7e7±3.0e6, Δtk- 4.8e7±3.8e6 per 4 lower extremity bones, p=0.04), but did not alter spleen (SP) cellularity (Δtk+ 5.1e7±5.3e6, Δtk- 6.3e7±7.4e6 cells per SP, p=0.19). OB ablation was also associated with significantly increased numbers of cells with long-term HSC (LTHSC) phenotype (Lin-Kit+Sca-1+Flt3-CD150+CD48-) in both the BM (Δtk+ 6490±1315, Δtk- 4236±922 per 4 lower extremity bones; p=0.03) and SP (Δtk+ 980±473, Δtk- 96±40 per SP; p=0.04). Significant increases in common myeloid progenitor (CMP) (Δtk+ 145114±43608, Δtk- 82200±26754; p=0.002) and granulocyte/monocyte progenitor (GMP) (Δtk+ 51411±17349, Δtk- 20206±9279, p=0.003, p=0.02) numbers were seen in SP of OB-ablated mice, whereas significant alterations in other hematopoietic populations in BM, SP or PB were not seen. We performed limiting-dilution competitive repopulation assays to determine the functional LTHSC potential of BM cells from OB-ablated and control mice. OB-ablated mice demonstrated a higher frequency of short-term repopulating cells compared to LTHSCs from non-ablated mice (5 weeks: Δtk+ 1 in 4,941; Δtk- 1 in 17,351 BM cells) but similar long-term engraftment (15 weeks: Δtk+ 1 in 22,853; Δtk- 1 in 23,137 BM cells). Transplantation of BM cells from primary transplant recipients into secondary recipients demonstrated similar long-term engraftment potential after second transplant. These results suggest that despite increased numbers of phenotypic LTHSCs in OB-ablated mice, the long-term repopulating and self-renewing capacity of BM cells remains unchanged in OB-ablated mice, but on the other hand there is an increase in functional short-term repopulating capacity. Next, to examine the role of OBs in regulation of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) stem cells, we crossed the Col2.3GFPΔtk mice with an inducible transgenic BCR-ABL mouse model of CML (ScltTA-BCR/ABL). In these mice withdrawal of tetracycline results in induction of BCR-ABL expression in HSCs and development of a CML-like myeloproliferative disorder. GCV administration to achieve OB ablation was initiated one week prior to BCR-ABL induction by tetracycline withdrawal, and was continued for the duration of the experiment. CML development was monitored by checking blood counts every 2 weeks after induction and mice were followed for survival. We observed significantly accelerated development of CML in OB-ablated versus non-ablated mice, with 50% of the OB-ablated mice dying within 47 days of CML induction, whereas >50% of the non-ablated mice survived to day 73 (p=0.017). Collectively, these studies suggest that BM OBs are not essential for maintenance of long-term repopulating and self-renewing HSCs, but regulate the expansion of short-term HSCs in the BM. Our studies also indicate an important and previously unrecognized role for OBs in regulating the leukemogenicity of CML LSCs. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Diabetes impairs the interactions between long-term hematopoietic stem cells and osteopontin-positive cells in the endosteal niche of mouse bone marrow

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are maintained, and their division/proliferation and quiescence are regulated in the microenvironments, niches, in the bone marrow. Although diabetes is known to induce abnormalities in HSC mobilization and proliferation through chemokine and chemokine receptors, little is known about the interaction between long-term HSCs (LT-HSCs) and osteopontin-positive (OPN) cells in endosteal niche. To examine this interaction, LT-HSCs and OPN cells were isolated from streptozotocin-induced diabetic and nondiabetic mice. In diabetic mice, we observed a reduction in the number of LT-HSCs and OPN cells and impaired expression of Tie2, β-catenin, and N-cadherin on LT-HSCs and β1-integrin, β-catenin, angiopoietin-1, and CXCL12 on OPN cells. In an in vitro coculture system, LT-HSCs isolated from nondiabetic mice exposed to diabetic OPN cells showed abnormal mRNA expression levels of Tie2 and N-cadherin. Conversely, in LT-HSCs derived from diabetic mice exposed to nondiabetic OPN cells, the decreased mRNA expressions of Tie2, β-catenin, and N-cadherin were restored to normal levels. The effects of diabetic or nondiabetic OPN cells on LT-HSCs shown in this coculture system were confirmed by the coinjection of LT-HSCs and OPN cells into bone marrow of irradiated nondiabetic mice. Our results provide new insight into the treatment of diabetes-induced LT-HSC abnormalities and suggest that the replacement of OPN cells may represent a novel treatment strategy.

Novel View on Stem Cell Compartment and Aging - a Number of Pluripotent Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells and Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Murine Bone Marrow Is High in Several Long-Living and Reduced in Short-Living Murine Strains and Unexpectedly Inversely Correlates in These Animals with Plasma Growth Hormone/Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Level

Abstract LBA-5 Background:It is known that an increase in caloric intake leads to increase in plasma growth hormone (GH) level that subsequently induces secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from liver, what leads to accelerated aging (Nature 2010;464:504). On the other hand, caloric restriction and a resulting decrease in plasma IGF-1 level has the opposite effect and extends lifespan. It also known that adult tissues contain a population of pluripotent very small embryonic like stem cells (VSELs) that play as postulated an important role in rejuvenation of long term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) in bone marrow (BM) Leukemia 2011; doi:10.1038/leu.2011.73, Exp. Hematology 2011;39:225–237). As we observed previously, the number of these cells in murine BM decreases with age and VSELs are kept quiescent in BM and protected from premature depletion by erasure of the somatic imprint in differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of some paternally imprinted genes involved in insulin/insulin growth factors signaling (IIS) such as e.g., Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 (Leukemia 2009;23:2042). Hypothesis:To explain and connect these phenomena together, we hypothesized that prolonged insulin/insulin growth factors signaling (IIS) prematurely depletes VSELs from the adult tissues and in BM may negatively impact on population of HSCs. Material and Methods:The number of VSELs and HSCs in long living murine strains with inborn low level of circulating IGF-1 (Laron- and Ames- dwarfs) as well as in short living mice with high levels of circulating IGF-1 (e.g., transgenic mice that overexpress bovine growth hormone; bGH) was evaluated by FACS. VSELs were isolated and epigenetic status of genes regulating pluripotency (e.g., Oct-4) as well as imprinted genes regulating IIS was evaluated by employing bisulfate modification of DNA followed by sequencing and by COBRE assay. We also challenged long living mice with low IGF-1 plasma level by daily injections of recombinant GH or IGF-1. Results:We found that the number of VSELs and HSCs residing in BM inversely correlates with plasma GH/IGF-1 level. To support this, mice with low circulating plasma IGF-1 levels (Laron- and Ames-dwarf mice) have higher numbers of VSELs and HSCs in BM that, in contrast to aged-matched normal littermates, are maintained at high levels even into advanced age. The analysis of molecular signature of VSELs in these animals revealed prolonged retention of hypomethylation in the DMRs within the Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 loci, which attenuates IIS signaling in these cells. The number of VSELs, however, decreased in these animals after prolonged treatment with GH or recombinant IGF-I. Conversely, mice with elevated IGF-I level in plasma due to expression of the GH transgene or normal wild type mice injected for a sustained period with recombinant GH both exhibit significant decreases in the number of VSELs and HSCs in BM compared to control animals. These decreases were paralleled by epigenetic changes in Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 loci in which DMRs became hypermethylated over time. These changes in methylation lead to increases in IGF-2 and RasGRF1 expression and may explain why GH transgenic mice have an increase in IIS that leads to shortening of life span in these animals. Conclusions:Our data shed new light on the relationships between senescence, GH/IGF-1 level, prolonged IIS, and number of VSELs and LT-HSCs. Accordingly, we propose a new paradigm in which a decrease in IIS (e.g., due to caloric restriction that lowers plasma IGF-1 level) may delay the age-dependent elimination of VSELs from adult tissues. By contrast, chronic IIS (e.g., due to chronic high caloric intake and the resulting elevated GH and IGF-1 levels) prematurely depletes VSELs residing in adult organs, which for example in BM leads to a decrease in the number of LT-HSCs. This study also indicates that GH-based anti-aging therapies need careful re-evaluation of their potentially uncontrolled stimulation of VSELs in BM that may lead to development of hematological malignancies. In support of this, elevated GH and IIS lead to hematological malignancies, while, by contrast, Laron dwarf mice and Laron dwarf patients, which have a low plasma IGF-1 levels, do not develop leukemias. Disclosures:Ratajczak:Neostem Inc: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Novel View on Stem Cell Compartment and Aging - a Number of Pluripotent Very Small Embryonic Like Stem Cells and Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Murine Bone Marrow Is High in Several Long-Living and Reduced in Short-Living Murine Strains and Unexpectedly Inversely Correlates in These Animals with Plasma Growth Hormone/Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Level

Abstract LBA-5 Background: It is known that an increase in caloric intake leads to increase in plasma growth hormone (GH) level that subsequently induces secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) from liver, what leads to accelerated aging (Nature 2010;464:504). On the other hand, caloric restriction and a resulting decrease in plasma IGF-1 level has the opposite effect and extends lifespan. It also known that adult tissues contain a population of pluripotent very small embryonic like stem cells (VSELs) that play as postulated an important role in rejuvenation of long term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) in bone marrow (BM) Leukemia 2011; doi:10.1038/leu.2011.73, Exp. Hematology 2011;39:225–237). As we observed previously, the number of these cells in murine BM decreases with age and VSELs are kept quiescent in BM and protected from premature depletion by erasure of the somatic imprint in differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of some paternally imprinted genes involved in insulin/insulin growth factors signaling (IIS) such as e.g., Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 (Leukemia 2009;23:2042). Hypothesis: To explain and connect these phenomena together, we hypothesized that prolonged insulin/insulin growth factors signaling (IIS) prematurely depletes VSELs from the adult tissues and in BM may negatively impact on population of HSCs. Material and Methods: The number of VSELs and HSCs in long living murine strains with inborn low level of circulating IGF-1 (Laron- and Ames- dwarfs) as well as in short living mice with high levels of circulating IGF-1 (e.g., transgenic mice that overexpress bovine growth hormone; bGH) was evaluated by FACS. VSELs were isolated and epigenetic status of genes regulating pluripotency (e.g., Oct-4) as well as imprinted genes regulating IIS was evaluated by employing bisulfate modification of DNA followed by sequencing and by COBRE assay. We also challenged long living mice with low IGF-1 plasma level by daily injections of recombinant GH or IGF-1. Results: We found that the number of VSELs and HSCs residing in BM inversely correlates with plasma GH/IGF-1 level. To support this, mice with low circulating plasma IGF-1 levels (Laron- and Ames-dwarf mice) have higher numbers of VSELs and HSCs in BM that, in contrast to aged-matched normal littermates, are maintained at high levels even into advanced age. The analysis of molecular signature of VSELs in these animals revealed prolonged retention of hypomethylation in the DMRs within the Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 loci, which attenuates IIS signaling in these cells. The number of VSELs, however, decreased in these animals after prolonged treatment with GH or recombinant IGF-I. Conversely, mice with elevated IGF-I level in plasma due to expression of the GH transgene or normal wild type mice injected for a sustained period with recombinant GH both exhibit significant decreases in the number of VSELs and HSCs in BM compared to control animals. These decreases were paralleled by epigenetic changes in Igf2-H19 and RasGRF1 loci in which DMRs became hypermethylated over time. These changes in methylation lead to increases in IGF-2 and RasGRF1 expression and may explain why GH transgenic mice have an increase in IIS that leads to shortening of life span in these animals. Conclusions: Our data shed new light on the relationships between senescence, GH/IGF-1 level, prolonged IIS, and number of VSELs and LT-HSCs. Accordingly, we propose a new paradigm in which a decrease in IIS (e.g., due to caloric restriction that lowers plasma IGF-1 level) may delay the age-dependent elimination of VSELs from adult tissues. By contrast, chronic IIS (e.g., due to chronic high caloric intake and the resulting elevated GH and IGF-1 levels) prematurely depletes VSELs residing in adult organs, which for example in BM leads to a decrease in the number of LT-HSCs. This study also indicates that GH-based anti-aging therapies need careful re-evaluation of their potentially uncontrolled stimulation of VSELs in BM that may lead to development of hematological malignancies. In support of this, elevated GH and IIS lead to hematological malignancies, while, by contrast, Laron dwarf mice and Laron dwarf patients, which have a low plasma IGF-1 levels, do not develop leukemias. Disclosures: Ratajczak: Neostem Inc: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Loss of Krüppel-Like Factor 4 (KLF4) Leads to Increased Self-Renewal Under Stress Conditions and Improved Survival of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Abstract 861Hematopoiesis is a highly regulated process in which a small number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) generate all mature blood cells. In order to preserve homeostasis of the hematopoietic system throughout lifetime, this pool of HSC must be maintained by the processes of self-renewal and survival. Self-renewal requires a coordination of survival signals and control of proliferation uncoupled from differentiation. Even though extrinsic signals from the microenvironment and cell-intrinsic regulators are required for self-renewal of HSCs, the intricate transcriptional machinery that selectively regulates HSC self-renewal and survival is still poorly understood. Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a zinc-finger transcription factor that regulates proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and self-renewal. The role of KLF4 in reprogramming adult somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells along with OCT3/4, c-Myc and SOX2 suggests that KLF4 is required for preservation of an undifferentiated state. To investigate the function of KLF4 in HSC maintenance, we used conditional Klf4 knockout mice (Klf4fl/flVav-iCre+) to specifically delete KLF4 gene in hematopoietic cells. We first analyzed the frequency of HSC and progenitor cells in the bone marrow (BM) of Klf4fl/flVav-iCre– (control) and Klf4fl/flVav-iCre+ (knockout) by flow cytometry. We found that KLF4 deficiency leads to a 2.4-fold increase in the number of long-term HSC (Lin–Sca-1+c-Kit+ CD150+ CD48–) and a 2.2-fold increase in short-term HSC compartements (Lin–Sca-1+c-Kit+ CD150+ CD48+) whereas no significant changes were found in myeloid and lymphoid progenitor cells. Consistent with this phenotypic analysis, KLF4 expression in HSC is higher than hematopoietic progenitor cells and mature lineages (n=3; P<0.05). Even though ablation of Klf4 gene does not affect multi-lineage potential of HSC upon transplantation, its deletion leads to a reduction of monocytes and T cell expansion. To assess the effect of Klf4 ablation in self-renewal, we performed serial competitive repopulation assays using a 1:1 mixture of BM cells from control (Klf4fl/flVav-iCre–; CD45.2+) or knockout (Klf4fl/flVav-iCre+; CD45.2+) with B6.SJL (CD45.1+) mice. In primary transplants, the contribution of knockout BM cells in peripheral blood was similar to controls. Interestingly, loss of KLF4 led to enhanced contribution to peripheral blood in secondary transplants (4.5-fold; P<0.005) and tertiary transplants (2.6-fold; P<0.005). Consistent with this result, we found a significant increased number of colony forming units only in the third replating on methylcellulose (P<0.0005). To further characterize the role of KLF4 in HSC proliferation, we determined expression of Ki-67 and DNA content in nuclei of LSK CD150+ cells. The fraction of G0 cells defined as Ki-67– within 2n DNA in Klf4-knockout LSK CD150+ cells was similar to control (control 74.3 ± 0.7% vs 73.2 ± 2.3%). However, Annexin V staining revealed a 2.4-fold increased survival of LSK CD150+ cells in Klf4-knockout mice compared to control mice but not in myeloid progenitor cells (Lin–c-Kit+Sca-1–) suggesting that KLF4 selectively regulates the survival of HSC. These studies indicate that KLF4 controls steady state HSC survival and self-renewal under stress conditions. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

MEIS1 Is Required for the Maintenance of Long Term Hematopoietic Stem Cells Wherein It Regulates Quiescence

Abstract 551Normal hematopoiesis is maintained by long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) that are defined by their extensive self-renewal and multipotency. Self-renewal of LT-HSCs in turn is regulated by a complex network of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The transcription factor MEIS1 is highly expressed in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and also in several leukemias, suggesting that MEIS1 might be important in regulating self-renewal. However, the role of MEIS1 in normal hematopoiesis has not been defined. To determine the role of MEIS1 in hematopoiesis, we studied conditional knockout mice. We generated transgenic mice bearing loxp sites flanking the homeodomain of MEIS1. The MEIS1-floxed mice were then bred to Rosa26-CreERT2 mice, the latter expressing cre-recombinase ubiquitously, that can be activated by estrogen or its analog Tamoxifen (Tam). Efficient, complete recombination was achieved in vivo by treating MEIS1-f/f-Cre (homozygous for MEIS1-flox) mice with Tam and in vitro by treating bone marrow cells with 4-hydroxy tamoxifen. Loss of MEIS1 expression was detected by QRT-PCR and western blotting. To determine the role of MEIS1 in the maintenance of adult hematopoiesis, MEIS1-f/f-Cre and control mice were treated with Tam and MEIS1 deletion confirmed by PCR. At three weeks post deletion, bone marrow analysis showed a significant reduction in the number of LT-HSCs defined as lin-/c-Kit+/Sca1+/CD48−/CD150+ in the MEIS1-depleted mice compared to controls (0.012% compared to 0.037%, N=6, p<0.05, t-test). However, the progenitor populations were unaffected by MEIS1 deletion. Over a period of 12 weeks of observation, the mice did not show any signs of distress and the peripheral blood counts of the experimental and control mice remained normal, indicating that short term hematopoiesis was not affected. Cell cycle analysis of LT-HSCs showed that MEIS1 deletion resulted in a significant shift of cells from G0 to G1 phase (G0 and G1 proportions respectively, 81.75±3.25% and 9.40±3% for control and 56.10±0.873% and 31.17±1.5% for MEIS1-deleted). To determine the effects of MEIS1 loss on intrinsic hematopoietic stem cell function, we performed competitive repopulation assays. Bone marrow cells harvested from MEIS1-f/f-Cre or MEIS1-f/+-Cre (control) mice were combined with equal numbers of bone marrow cells from BoyJ mice and transplanted via tail vein injection into lethally irradiated BoyJ mice. Four weeks after transplant, recipients were treated with Tam or vehicle for 5 days and deletion of MEIS1 confirmed by PCR on peripheral blood. Peripheral blood of recipient mice was analyzed at 1, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after treatment and relative chimerism assessed by flow cytometry. At 1 and 4 weeks after treatment, the chimerism in the MEIS1 deleted group (Tam treated MEIS1-f/f-CreER) and the control groups (Tam treated MEIS1-f/+-CReER and vehicle treated MEIS1-f/f-CreER) was comparable (41%, 40.5% and 41.5% respectively, average, N=5 to 8). However, by 8 weeks after treatment, the MEIS1 deleted group showed a significant decline in chimerism compared to controls (18.2% compared to 43.1% and 35.1% respectively, p<0.02, t-test) and at 16 weeks the chimerism in the MEIS1-deleted group declined further (11.1% compared to 40.2% and 35.0% respectively, p<0.001). Subpopulation analysis showed loss of chimerism in granulocytes and in B and T lymphocytes. The latency and breadth of the effect of MEIS1 loss suggested an effect on the hematopoietic stem cell population. Indeed, bone marrow analysis of transplant recipients showed near complete loss of LT-HSC chimerism (3% compared to 70.25% and 75.6% respectively, p<0.001). Finally, we performed gene expression profiling on lineage negative bone marrow cells with and without MEIS1 deletion. Results showed that loss of MEIS1 was associated with decreased expression of hypoxia-responsive genes. Collectively, these results indicate that MEIS1 is required for the maintenance of the pool of LT-HSCs. Loss of MEIS1 promotes cycling and exhaustion of LT-HSCs. Further, we propose that activation of the hypoxia-response pathway may be one of the mechanisms by which MEIS1 exerts its effects on hematopoietic stem cells. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Pbx1 Regulates Self-Renewal of Long-Term Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Maintaining Their Quiescence

Self-renewal is a defining characteristic of stem cells; however, the molecular pathways underlying its regulation are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that conditional inactivation of the Pbx1 proto-oncogene in the hematopoietic compartment results in a progressive loss of long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) that is associated with concomitant reduction in their quiescence, leading to a defect in the maintenance of self-renewal as assessed by serial transplantation. Transcriptional profiling revealed that multiple stem cell maintenance factors are perturbed in Pbx1-deficient LT-HSCs, which prematurely express a large subset of genes, including cell-cycle regulators, normally expressed in non-self-renewing multipotent progenitors. A significant proportion of Pbx1-dependent genes is associated with the TGF-beta pathway, which serves a major role in maintaining HSC quiescence. Prospectively isolated, Pbx1-deficient LT-HSCs display altered transcriptional responses to TGF-beta stimulation in vitro, suggesting a possible mechanism through which Pbx1 maintenance of stem cell quiescence may in part be achieved.

Leukemogenic K-RasG12D Induces Cell Cycle Entry and Clonal Dominance in Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

NRAS and KRAS encode small GTPases that act as switches controlling cell fate. Mutations in these genes are commonly found in hematopoietic malignancies, and produce proteins maintained in an active, GTP-bound state. We have shown that mice expressing a mutant KrasG12Dallele from the endogenous locus develop an aggressive myeloproliferative disease (MPD) that closely resembles human juvenile and chronic myelomonocytic leukemias (JMML and CMML). This model accurately reflects the relentless progression of JMML, which almost always recurs even after chemotherapy-induced remission; we therefore hypothesized that leukemia-initiating cells in this model must out-compete wild type hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in vivo. Animal models of leukemogenesis support potential roles for either primitive HSC or committed progenitor cells as leukemia stem cells. To identify the leukemia stem cells in KrasG12Dmice, sorted common myeloid progenitors (CMP), short-term hematopoietic stem cells (ST-HSC), or long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSC) were transplanted into lethally irradiated recipients. Mice receiving K-RasG12D-expressing CMP and ST-HSC showed early spleen colony formation but no graft-derived hematopoiesis by one month after transplantation, and did not develop MPD. By contrast, mice receiving KrasG12DLT-HSC had a rapid expansion of graft-derived myeloid and T-cells. Interestingly, these mice all died within 3 months, having developed KrasG12Dacute T-lineage malignancies. To test directly how oncogenic K-Ras affects HSC function, we performed a limit dilution analysis to quantify transplantable HSC numbers. Mx1Cre; KrasG12Dmice had ten-fold fewer bone marrow competitive repopulating units (CRU) than wild type; a two-fold difference could be attributed to total numbers of immunophenotypic HSC. Importantly, however, the LT-HSC of mice reconstituted by equal numbers of KrasG12Dand wild type LT-HSC were predominantly derived from the KrasG12Dcells. This suggests that oncogenic Ras confers a proliferative advantage in the LT-HSC compartment and is consistent with the idea that RAS mutation initiates MPD. Entry into the cell cycle is regulated by Ras signaling in a variety of cellular contexts and could also underlie both expansion and reduced engraftment of HSC. We determined the cell cycle status of LT-HSC in Mx1Cre; KrasG12Dmice. Although wild type HSC were predominantly in G0, as reported, K-RasG12D-expressing LT-HSC were preferentially in cycle (G0 fraction 82% +/− 8.2% vs. 44% +/− 7.7%, p<0.01). Preliminary gene expression analysis in sorted LT-HSC suggests that this may be mediated by increased transcription of cyclin D1 and cyclin E2. Collectively, these data show that LT-HSC expressing K-RasG12D can initiate fatal MPD and acute T-lineage leukemia. While hyperactive Ras decreases the number of engraftable LT-HSC, this is likely a cell-extrinsic effect as K-RasG12D-expressing LT-HSC outperform wild type LT-HSC in competitive repopulation assays. Importantly, Ras-mediated increases in cell cycling do not lead to post-transplant depletion of HSC. Ongoing tests of self-renewal in KrasG12DLT-HSC may help describe this key feature of many human malignancies - hyperproliferation without exhaustion - and provide targets for cancer stem cell directed therapy.

Junb Regulates Hematopoietic Stem Cell Numbers in Normal and Leukemic Mice.

JunB is expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) as a partner for Fos in the composition of the AP-1 transcription factor. Previously, we have shown that junB inactivation in postnatal mice results in the development of a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) resembling early human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) (Passegue et al., 2001, Cell, 104, 21-32). Here, we demonstrate that JunB is a critical transcriptional regulator of HSC numbers both in normal and leukemic mice. Overexpression of junB in long-term HSC (LT-HSC) dramatically decreases the frequency of LT-HSC, while inactivation of junB specifically expands the numbers of LT-HSC, and of granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (GMP), resulting in the development of a chronic MPD with many features of human CML, including progression to blast crisis, and death. JunB effects are mediated, at least in part, via the regulation of effectors genes such as the cell cycle inhibitor p16/INK4a, which is a direct junB-target gene and a key regulator of stem cell proliferation/senescence, as well as the anti-apoptotic proteins bcl2 and bcl-xl, two critical regulators of stem cell death. Using several models of conditional deletion of junB in hematopoietic cells, we demonstrate that junB inactivation must take place in LT-HSC, and not at later stages of myelopoiesis, to induce MPD. Most importantly, we show that only junB-deficient LT-HSC, and no other myeloid progenitor populations, are capable of transplanting the MPD to recipient mice. These results indicate a stem cell-specific role for JunB in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis, and provide an experimental demonstration that leukemia stem cells (LSC) can reside at the LT-HSC stage of development in a mouse model of chronic MPD.

JunB Deficiency Leads to a Myeloproliferative Disorder Arising from Hematopoietic Stem Cells

The AP-1 transcription factor JunB is a transcriptional regulator of myelopoiesis. Inactivation of JunB in postnatal mice results in a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) resembling early human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Here, we show that JunB regulates the numbers of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). JunB overexpression decreases the frequency of long-term HSC (LT-HSC), while JunB inactivation specifically expands the numbers of LT-HSC and granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (GMP) resulting in chronic MPD. Further, we demonstrate that junB inactivation must take place in LT-HSC, and not at later stages of myelopoiesis, to induce MPD and that only junB-deficient LT-HSC are capable of transplanting the MPD to recipient mice. These results demonstrate a stem cell-specific role for JunB in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis and provide experimental evidence that leukemic stem cells (LSC) can reside at the LT-HSC stage of development in a mouse model of MPD.